Traffic-signal.



G. R. HAWKS.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.20. l9l6.

1 ,273,607. Patented July 23, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

G. R. HAWKS.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

APPLICATION-FILED SEPT. 20,. I916.

GEORGE n. HAWKS, or 1.0m, WISCONSIN.

TRAFFIC-SIGNAL Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1918.

Application filed September 20, 1916. Serial No. 121,261.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Grouse R. HAWKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lodi, in the county of Columbia and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Traffic-Signals, of which the following is a specification.-

This invention relates to traflic signals, and its prime object is to produce a signal post which will be so constructed and mounted that if it should be struck or run down byifa vehicle, it will automatically right itse A further object of the invention is to produce a trafiic signal having wings or blades pointing in different directions and carrying desired inscriptions, said wings being so mounted and arranged that if the post should be struck and run down, the wings will automatically be folded so as to suffer no injury, said wings being also automatically extensible when the post rights itself.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the recise structural details therein exhibited, ut 'that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved trafiic signal.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, with .dotted lines showing the post tilted and the indicator blades folded or collapsed.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged, of the upper portion of the device.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the upper )ortion as it appears when the wings are folded or collapsed.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 3.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference. A'supporting, plate 15 which is suitably secured or anchored in a stationary position is provided, said plate being adapted to support an upwardly tapering hollow base member 16, with the apex of which is connected a tubular post 17 consisting preferably of a metal pipe. At the top of the post 17 is mounted an inverted hell or housing 18.

The bell or housing 18 is mainly of cylindrical form with a tapering or truncated lower end that loosely engages the post 17. The latter has at its upper end a disk 21 fitting loosely within the cylindrical portion of the bell l8 and provided with upwardly extending arms or brackets 22 with which the hell or housing is detachably connected by fastening members, such as bolts 23. The brackets 22 are provided at their lower ends with feet 22 secured on the disk 21 and at their upper ends with lu s: m hearings 19 with which wings or blades 20 are pivotally connected, said wings bearing proper inscriptions of warning or instruction.

Connected centrally with the supporting plate 15 by means of an eye 24: or in any convenient manner is the lower end of a. coiled spring 25 which extends part way through the tubular part 17 at an intermediate point of which the upper end of the spring is connected with the lowerend ofa rod 26 which extends upwardly through the post, the upper end of said rod being connected with the disk 21 by means of a nut 27, which latter may be-tightened upon the rod to produce the desired degree of tension in the spring 25. Located in the upper end of the tube 17 is a second spring 28, the lower end of which is connected-with the spring 25 by means of a link 29. The upper endof the spring 28 is connected with one end of a bolt 30 that extends upwardly through the disk 21 and through a guide tube 31 connected therewith, said bolt carrying at its upper end a disk or plate 32 which is connected with the wings or indicator blades 20 by means of links 33. The disk or plate 32 is mounted on the bolt 30 by means 0 adjusting nuts 34.

It is to be noted that the spring 25 is to be relatively weak, while the spring 28 1s to be relatively strong.

The tubular post with its attachment Wlll be normally sustained in an upright position by the tension of the springs 25, 28. Should the post be struck by a vehicle, as indicated in dotted lines in Flg. 2, the sprm 25 Wlll be tensioned, thereby exerting a u 11p action on 'thebolt 30, whereby t e dis 0;

plate 32 will be moved downwardly within the bell-shaped housing, actuating the wings 20 through the links 33 and causing said wings to be collapsed, as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 2. After the wings have been collapsed, the spring 28 which has hitherto remainedneutral will be tensioned by any further tilting of the post. The collapsing of the wings or blades will prevent them from contactingwith vehicles or with the roadway, thereby preventing injury to the device itself or with any parts with which it might be thrown into contact. The post, as'soon as released from contact with the vehicle striking the same, will assume its original upright position, being restored by the action of the springs, while at the same time the expanding springs. and the connecting members will move the disk or plate 32 in an upward direction, thereby restoring ,the wings or blades to their original positions.

. The eye 24 with which the rod 26 and the spring 25 are connected may be a part of an ordinary eye bolt having a nut 36, whereby the parts may be assembled. The

tension of the springs may be regulated by I with the post, and a connection between the spring means and the wings for collapsing and extending the wings.

2. In a tratlic signal, a tubular post, spring means for maintaining the same in an upright position, collapsible wings connected with the post, and a connection between the spring means and wings for automatically collapsing the wings when the post is tilted from an upright pesition and for restoring the wings to an extended position when the post assumes an upright position.

3. In a traflic signal, a supporting member, a tubular post having a flaring base resting thereon, a bell-shaped housing at the upper end of the tubular post, wings pivotally' supported adjacent to the edge of the housing, a disk slidable within the housing, links connecting the wings with the disk, and a connection between the disk and the supporting member including a spring within the tubular post. p

4. In a traffic signal, a tubular post, pring means for maintaining the same in an up I right position, a bell-shaped housing loosely supported at the upper end of the tubular post, means for securing the housing detachably with respect to the post, wings pivotally supported adjacent to the edge of the housing, a disk slidable within the housing, links connecting the wingswith the disk, a

supporting member on which the post is.

pivotally mounted, and a connection between the disk and the supporting member including a spring within the tubular post, and a rod connecting the spring with the disk disk at the top of the post is housed, fastening means connecting the housing with the upstanding brackets, wingssupported pivotally adjacent to the upper end of the housing, and means for collapsing the wings when the post is tilted,

6. In a traffic signal, a'supporting member, a tubular post having a flaring base resting thereon, a disk at the upper end of the post having upwardly'extending brackets, a connection between the disk and the supporting member including aspring within the tubular post, a bell-shaped housing supported at the top of the post and having a cylindrical portion within which the disk at the top of the post is housed, fastening means connecting the housing with the upstanding brackets, wings supported pivotally adjacent to the upper end of the housing, and means for collapsing the wings when the post is tilted; said means including a spring within the post and connected at its lower end with the supporting member, a disk slidable within the housing, links connecting the last mentioned disk with the wings, and a connection between the disk and the spring.

7. A traffic regulator, comprising a semaphore standard, semaphore arms secured upon said standard, means for allowing the standard to swing at an angle to a perpendicular normal position, means whereby the semaphore arms will be swung into a protected position as the standard is swung from the vertical, and into their normal outstretched position as the standard assumes GEORGE a. HAWKS. 

